I met Lori Platt from Yalaha, FL recently at the International Doll and Teddy Show (IDTS) in Asheville, NC. She is the designer and creator of Pixies and other fantasy art dolls displayed in her booth "The Pixie Knoll".

﻿​She was so friendly and welcoming to everyone at her booth. I found her so easy to talk with about her work. She told me that she did not have any girls, she raised boys. Lori felt like she needed eyes in the back of her head because they were frequently up to no good as young boys. She believes those mischievous faces of little boys comes out in her work with Pixies. Lori shared a little about how she became interested in creating art dolls and some valuable tips and insights for doll makers and collectors.

Lori Platt talks about the world of Art Dolls

Can you tell us how you became interested in making art dolls?

LP: ​As a child I had an active imagination and enjoyed fairy tales and magical beings. I was also artistically inclined. I have an Associate of Arts in Graphic Design. I was working with many different mediums. I started with painting, pen and ink, and pastels. I also worked with ceramics and clay. Then I tried sewing and making quilts. I found a book with a pattern for a cloth doll and started making cloth dolls. Girls just loved the cloth dolls I made.

During my cloth doll period because I also happen to collect Santa Claus figures, my husband surprised me at Christmas with a "Sculpting Santa" Video by Jack Johnston. There were also sculpting tools and polymer clay in the gift. This was a new medium for me and I could not wait to try it. I made my first Santa and then went on to purchase a DVD by Wendy Froud "How to Sculpt a Faery Figure". I continued building my skills and have been creating and sculpting dolls for around 10 years now.

Sabina - Halloween Bat Fairy "Coven of Crones"-Lori Platt

You mentioned Polymer Clay. Can you describe more about the medium you use to make your dolls?

LP: I use Polymer Clay for my dolls and paper clay for the scenery. Working with the paper clay and acrylic paints in the scenery allows me to have fun layering color and incorporating detail. I also design and create the clothes for my dolls. I really use all the different skills I've learned from working with all the other mediums I used.

I found your Etsy Shop Pixieknoll and Website The Pixie Knoll where you sell your art dolls. Do you sell by any other venues?

LP:I also sell pieces through my Facebook page, my Pixie Knoll Blog, and occasionally on eBay. I also exhibit at shows. I will be exhibiting at the Spirits in Sanford. It's an intimate gathering of Halloween Artists and Collectors in historic Sanford, Florida held on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 this year. I'm actually designing and creating Halloween theme dolls and monsters in preparation for this show.

Spirits in Sanford Artists 2015

Which of your Dolls do you consider your personal favorite?

LP:Each one I design becomes my favorite while I am working on it. If I had to choose from all of my creations; I would choose three.
​#1 Allegory of Life: The four seasons It is very spiritual and representative of the circle of life. It sold recently.

#2 I'm also very fond of Steampunk Dragon Fly and Gnome Tinker Rider "WorldTraveler" He is available in my Etsy Shop.

Steampunk Dragon Fly "World Traveler" by Lori Platt

#3 Would have to be Meadow. ​There is a photo of her on my blog. As I worked on Meadow everything seemed to come together without a struggle. I finished Meadow in time for the IDTS in Asheville.

Meadow by Lori Platt

Do you belong to any organizations or groups with a focus on Art Doll Making or Collection?

LP: I'm a member of the International Art Doll Registry. Members are from around the world. It offers so many services to members including tutorials, access to experts for questions about making dolls, competitions, and you can register you art doll creations for a permanent record of your work. Registering your art dolls is very important for collectors.

The competitions are bimonthly. You can compete on a Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced level and have an opportunity to win a $25 gift card. There are about 10 to 12 judges that use a point system for judging each submission. There are 3 measurements. Interpretation of the Theme, Skill level, and Overall appearance. These competitions are challenging and fun. They help you grow and learn as an artist. The Theme for July is Circus.

International Art Doll Registry

I also get Pretty Toys Magazine. It is an International Magazine published in several languages. You can purchase the Digital Download or the hard copy. There are no ads published in this magazine. It features art doll artists from all over the world and their creations. I also subscribe to Art Doll Quarterly published in the United States.

Carolyn & Jerry working at GlassEyesOnLine.com

Jerry and I learned a great deal about the world of Art Dolls while attending the IDTS Show and from my conversations with Lori. She believes that through sharing knowledge and expertise this art form will continue to live and thrive.

Jerry and I will be ready for another break from our business by this October and I think attending the Spirit of Sanford Show would be a great respite. It will also give us an opportunity to see Lori again and meet other artists.

Do you have questions or comments about making or collecting Art Dolls for Lori? Place them in the comments below. We'd love to hear from you!

Carolyn,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to interview with you and GlassEyesOnline. It was a wonderful experience to speak with you and to share my work from The Pixie Knoll. It was such a pleasure, thank you!
Lori Platt